Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Ms. Los Angeles County 2014 Eliza Green

 

Eliza Green

Ms. Los Angeles County 2014 and Inspirational/Motivational Speaker


 
Ms. Los Angeles County 2014, Eliza Green, passed through in-between two huge rose bushes at the Rose Garden at the Science Center in Los Angeles’ Exposition Park, walking tall, confident and smiling. I thought I have died and seen an angel but her Ms. Los Angeles County sash told me I am still breathing. At 5’10”, this tall, dark and beautiful woman made me feel diminutive but she made me at ease right away. She made the interview felt like a meeting between two long lost friends. I should be the one doing that since I am the interviewer but I sometimes get all weak-kneed when I find myself face-to-face with a gorgeous woman.

Eliza’s family history has so much in common with so many families making up the diverse demography of California. Like most immigrant or mixed race families, her family’s story is complicated. Eliza’s mother is Mexican and her biological father, African-American. Her mother and grandmother raised her in Tijuana Mexico until they migrated into Los Angeles California when she was five. Her adjustment into her new surroundings proved to be a challenge; she was treated as an outsider by her peers for she had a darker skin tone than most kids that considered themselves Mexicans. “I was bullied early on…they called me ‘La Negrita’…I didn’t understand it because I thought I was Mexican until my grandmother told me that I am also black…” Eliza recounted as if she found her innocence silly “…it never occurred to me (that) I was different…I didn’t know I stood out in the (Mexican) community”.

She studied in different schools from Elementary to High School and had encountered the same “outsider” feeling whether she was in a Mexican or African-American Community. There were a lot of Ups-and-Downs throughout her school years but she felt truly at the bottom when she turned 18. “I hang out with the wrong crowd…at one point I was homeless and was squatting” She recalled sounding amused.

Eliza exuded positive aura throughout the interview—full of enthusiasm—like she has been freed from a lifetime of captivity. In fact she did say that things started to turn great when she discovered a “Self-Help” Inspirational movie; “The Secret” a movie about “Law of Attraction” a theoretical and spiritual concept concerning the practice of positive thinking. From then on she only entertained positive thoughts and feelings, in her mind and heart, and has meditated daily. Offers of work came with so little effort, first as a paralegal then an executive assistant to an oil businessman. At both times she decided on seizing the moment. “Wish for what you want…for the opportunity…and once it’s there you go grab on to it—do not hesitate!” Eliza seemed tireless as she also started Green List Productions, a promotional agency, while doing her regular jobs.

Her positive attitude reflected on her interests as she co-founded The Inspiration Booth with her cousin Venice Trippetti. It is a social event wherein Eliza and Venice sets up a booth in parks and create positive slogans and signs, such as “I am Happy”, “Love”, “Joy”, etc., on brilliantly colored cardboard and have the participants wear it as a plaque. The participants then go on a quick walk, jog or hike. From there Eliza has created what she called “Inspired Jewelries”.

Her consistent and passionate approach to spreading happiness and positive thinking is what she believed helped her win the Ms. Los Angeles County 2014 title. She was invited to join the pageant a mere week before the event, and as always, she went for it. Eliza did not hesitate to divulge her personal history to the pageant organizers, the “dark days” of her life, stories that would make her ineligible from most beauty pageants. But Eliza’s personal tragedy is eclipsed by her commitment to better herself and promote positive mental attitude in the community. She sets up “Empowerment” workshops in corporate and non-profit organizations and has spoken at length on self-improvement and against sex trafficking and bullying. When asked what she would do next she responded with the same eagerness and positive thinking “Whatever that would inspire me I will go for it!”

 
Edited by Paul Remy of Nxup Magazine


For more photos of Ms. Los Angeles County 2014 Eliza Green, check out www.3RPhotography.blogspot.com

All photos and article are copyrighted
Copyright 2014 RG Los Angeles Stories

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Eion & Kendra


Eion & Kendra
 
My brothers, Reyvin and Reycie, and I created a photography team called 3R Photography.
Last November of 2013 we helped Nxup Magazine to cover the RAWartists LA RAWards show.
 
 
Please check out the video interview with artist of the year Eion & Kendra by NXUP magazine.